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Jack Pownall - Traducteur français-anglais

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My Journey

Born and raised in England, I moved to Paris in 2020 to immerse myself in French culture and pursue a Bachelor’s degree in French Studies at the University of London Institute in Paris. Over three years, I honed my linguistic skills to achieve C2-level fluency in French, complemented by a Certificate in Business Management and French from The Open University. These academic experiences, combined with professional training, laid the foundation for my career in translation.

What I Offer

I provide bespoke French-to-English translation and proofreading services, drawing on years of experience across diverse industries. My expertise includes:

• Translating complex, creative, and technical content, such as marketing materials, press releases, legal contracts, and literary works.

• SEO optimisation, ensuring your translated content ranks highly in search engines.

• Project management, overseeing translation workflows to maintain quality and meet deadlines.

• Social media and content localisation for global audiences.

When I undertake a project with a client, it is never merely a question of just dealing with a project. To provide a quality translation, I not only take into account the client’s text but the client’s brand, history, and voice. This is where you see the difference between an AI translation and a human translation.

That said, I know that humanity has its limits, and robots can help us supplement our abilities and our reliability. With industry-standard computer-aided translation tools at my disposal, I can ensure that even the most complicated of texts can be handled without risk of inconsistency or inefficiency. In addition to my own prowess when it comes to the English language (I’d be a poor translator if I could not at least attest to that!), advanced correction tools help ensure that my translations are as flawless as possible.

My long-term and ongoing immersion in France, in both my personal and professional lives, has offered me fully bilingual fluency in French, so I can also fit into your content pipeline as a final proofreader.

Professional Highlights

Vogue France

As a Translator and Copywriter, I translated over 300 articles, many of which were syndicated across international Condé Nast titles such as Vogue India and Glamour. I also managed Vogue France’s English-language social media channels and revamped the “Vogue France in English” landing page for enhanced user experience.

Corporate Editions

I translated a range of texts for luxury brands and public institutions, including marketing documents, product catalogues, and legal contracts, as well as texts in relation to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

Publications Agora France

My role involved translating and publishing content, organising the company’s annual seminar in Normandy, and training employees in English for international business communication.

Published Translations

• Introduction to ‘The Live Centre of Information: From Pompidou to Beaubourg’ (Actar Publisher, 2022)

• Les Gets Retro (bilingual edition, 2022)

• Micromégas and Plato’s Dream by Voltaire (2024)

Why Choose Me?

My translation philosophy is simple: precision, creativity, and cultural sensitivity. I understand that every project is unique, which is why I tailor my work to reflect the tone, purpose, and audience of each client. Whether you need to engage readers, drive sales, or preserve the literary charm of a text, I am here to help.

Let’s Work Together

If you’re looking for a translator who can bring your French content to life in English, let’s chat!

Email: bonjour@jackpownall.fr

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jack-pownall

I look forward to helping you achieve your goals through exceptional translation.

In late 2023, from October to December, I had the pleasure of joining a boutique translation agency in Paris for a temporary contract of 3 months. Through translating and proofreading a variety of documents, from legal contracts to social media captions, I gained a great insight into the day-to-day workings of a translation agency, and continuously improved my skills and abilities, as is always my aim in any work I do.

Learn more about Corporate Editions here.

In the summer of 2023, I had the pleasure of spending my summer working as the sole translator intern for Vogue France in English, a specially curated English section of the Vogue France digital magazine website.

My first day

I arrived at the Condé Nast offices in Paris for my first day on 28 March 2023 in a carefully compiled outfit consisting of my very best high street fashion. Being rather fashionably-challenged myself, I had actually asked a guy I was chatting with on Tinder at the time to pick it out (alas, we were not fated to be the next gay power couple in the world of fashion). I soon realised that—at least in terms of the demands on one’s wardrobe—working at Vogue is nothing like The Devil Wears Prada. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was wearing jeans and T-shirts. Suffice to say, I stood out like a sore thumb in my dress trousers and blazer. But hey, at least I could enjoy the feeling delusion that I was better-dressed than the editors of Vogue!

Now, I can already hear the question on everyone’s lips. Wasn’t there a handsome, Stanley-Tucci-esque fashionista there to drag me into the wardrobe and bedeck me in the latest fashion from the runways? Well…

Of course not.

Unfortunately, life isn’t a Hollywood movie starring Anne Hathaway, and sometimes you have to pluck up and be your own Stanley Tucci, albeit without the Prada boots (they wouldn’t suit me anyway).

Over time, I began to hone my eye for fashion via osmosis as I worked on translating Vogue France’s articles into English and observed my colleagues’ vestimentary habits. Eventually, I was less of a sore thumb, but never quite a real fashionista. We all have our limits.

Luckily, I did a better job of honing my translation skills, whicb brings me to the actual curriculum vitae bit of this post…

The werk work

Each day, I would begin by researching the day’s top trending topics and topics with potential to trend (celebrity birthdays, scheduled events, etc.). I would then curate a selection of French articles, including the latest news and evergreen content in line with the day’s topics. This research fuelled my choice of articles to translate that day.

In order to ensure a careful balance of speed and quality, my translation process consisted of an initial, almost literal translation followed by several rounds of meticulous editing to improve style and ensure an accurate translation.

In between translating articles, I would manage Vogue France’s international Facebook page, which mostly consisted of preparing posts to share relevant evergreen articles, moderating comments, and scheduling native image posts.

Articles I wrote

I’m a fan of The Devil Wears Prada, and here’s why I have high expectations for its musical adaptation

by Jack Pownall - 21 September 2023

The Devil Wears Prada, the iconic film about the ruthless world of fashion, has still got some surprises in store for us. Following a somewhat rocky first attempt at a run in Chicago last year, a musical version of the cult film has been reimagined by three-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and is now set to debut at London’s Dominion Theatre in October 2024, after a preview season in Plymouth during the summer.

Read this article in French here.

The best LGBTQ+ books are right inside this bookstore

by Jack Pownall - 5 July 2023

While LGBTQ+ books are becoming increasingly popular these days, there was a time when they were hard to find. Luckily, the bookstore Les Mots à la Bouche in Paris, a reference point for the Parisian LGBTQ+ community as well as for literature, is the ideal place to find the real gem you're looking for.

Read this article in French here.

Drag Race France is back!

by Jack Pownall - 7 June 2023

Drag Race France has decided to offer us a fabulous gift for Pride Month. The airdate for its second season has officially been announced on Instagram. Time for a catchup on this successful French drag competition show.

Read this article in French here.

Articles I translated

All of Us Strangers is potentially the sexiest gay romance of the year

by Marthe Mabille - 22 September 2023

While the film All of Us Strangers is on everyone's lips in the UK, it is also capturing the attention of cinephiles around the world. A charming and incredibly talented actor duo, a mysterious plot intertwined with sizzling scenes... Here's everything you need to know.

Read this article in French here.

How Meghan Markle owns the monochrome look

by Chloé Castanheira - 20 September 2023

Known for her penchant for elegantly classic looks, Meghan Markle is celebrated for her keen fashion sense and ability to create timeless, minimalist silhouettes. As the guest of honor at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, the Duchess of Sussex has turned each of her appearances into a true fashion moment, unveiling a series of monochromatic looks. A style lesson in itself.

Read this article in French here.

Here's what the new iPhone 15, Plus, Pro and Pro Max look like!

by Alexandre Marain - 13 September 2023

At each keynote, it's a tradition: Apple makes the crowds go crazy. This September 12, 2023, in Cupertino, California, the company unveiled four new iPhone models: the iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. What should we make of these new high-tech models? Vogue France breaks it down.

Read this article in French here.

About ULIP

The University of London Institute in Paris is a department of the University of London dedicated to French studies and the learning of the French language. It is the only British university in continental Europe.

Subjects studied

First year

• Œuvres: critical approaches to literature and visual arts.

• Written and oral expression.

• Issues and debates in contemporary French politics.

• History and histories: social, political and cultural issues from the Revolution to the present day.

• Cultural Studies.

Second year

• Introduction to translation (French/English).

• Advanced grammar and media communication.

• Gender and sexuality (literary studies).

• Introduction to French linguistics.

• Politics and Fiction; Queer Politics in Contemporary France.

• Fundamentals of Management.

• Marketing.

Third year

• Advanced French-English translation.

• Advanced English-French translation.

• French linguistics.

• Advanced French written and oral.

• Contemporary critical theory.

• Trauma & Transmission.

• Fin de siècle.

During my teenage years, while living in a small village in the West Country of England, I had little to do and a fair bit of time on my hands. Having discovered the virtual world platform Second Life and learned one could create anything one wished and sell it too, I delved into learning the art of 3D content creation.

With my associate, I founded a home and garden store within Second Life called ChiMia, where we sold my creations. These ranged from small furniture and decor pieces to entire apartments inspired by my dream of living in France (see image above).

Over the years, this experience turned me into a rather skilled creator and helped me master a variety of software, from programmes for 3D art for creating our products to industry-standard graphics designer applications for crafting our marketing materials. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the software I learned to use over the years:

• Autodesk 3DS Max

• Autodesk Maya

• Blender

• ZBrush

• Photoshop

• Illustrator

• Substance Painter